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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To apply for a council house?

112 replies

canidothis15 · 28/10/2015 17:00

First of all, I own a property in an area of the country I used to live in and I left quite suddenly due to a bereavement. I didn't really feel up to selling it to be honest.

Now I have been talking to friends and some seem quite convinced I could apply for a council house (I work full time) as some houses are actually quite difficult to house people in due to the area being a bit rough.

The problem is that I have pets and so private lets aren't ideal and I am in a flat right now so that's not ideal either.

I would obviously pay full market rent. WIBU to apply for a council house or would the council laugh themselves stupid? My job is pretty well paid and I do obviously have a house.

Thanks.

OP posts:

StrawberryTeaLeaf · 28/10/2015 17:30

Apparently there are areas up north where they just can't let the stock they have.

Your friends might be right. If so, you won't be depriving anyone and if you'll pay full rent, why not?

YA (probably) NBU.

TalkinPease · 28/10/2015 17:31

Apparently there are areas up north where they just can't let the stock they have.
Because there is little available employment .....

VimFuego101 · 28/10/2015 17:34

You are perfectly entitled to apply. I read a thread the other day where someone was asking about how their mum's neighbour managed to secure a council property when they already owned their own, so it may not be impossible. I don't see the issue if it really is in a hard to let area and would otherwise be sitting empty and not earning the council an income.

SaucyJack · 28/10/2015 17:34

There's no harm in trying I s'pose.

If you're in one of those mythical Northern places where they have houses to spare then I don't really see the problem as long as you're going to pay for it yourself.

It'll have no bearing whatsoever on homeless families down here in the S.E.

DraculasDixieNormas · 28/10/2015 17:35

you can apply, it all depends on area. Where I am you have to be high priority but we didn't have to wait for eviction like some people do and we were only bidding for 4 weeks.

we didn't even win the bid but apparently the council look at the applicants and decide who to offer the house to

Original poster

canidothis15 · 28/10/2015 17:35

I am up North, and I wouldn't say we have little available employment. What we do have is a lot of poorly-paid positions, zero hour contracts and the like.

It sounds then, from later posts, as if it may be worth at least asking. I am not trying to be immoral or lack integrity by my actions: on the contrary, I want to do what is best for everybody - which includes my animals and my tenants, who are good people with a child of their own who is settled in school. But of course, I do have to think of myself as well.

Private lets have a lot of restrictions on them and with multiple moves as landlords sell prove very expensive due to the high fees agencies charge.

OP posts:

TheBouquets · 28/10/2015 17:37

I wanted a council house. I have had numerous bereavements, ill health, disability. There are awful kids in the area whose parents don't seem to care about. They throw stones at windows and scratch cars. I keep myself to myself but when all said and done I am a disabled woman living alone in a house and it is scary to have stones thrown at your window. Police do nothing, parents don't have any control. I don't see why I should live like this but it takes ages to sell houses. Family have lived in that area for 300 years for definite and thought to be 700 or 800 years. I just needed a safe place to stay. It would have been temporary till properties sold and then I would have moved my business to that area. However if they cant help me in my problems I will look for another area to go to.
If there is a need for what ever reason councils should help. Not helping someone living with problems is not a good ethic. Recently heard they are supposed to be helping a number of people who have no connection to the area! That is annoying me but teaching me a lesson.

DraculasDixieNormas · 28/10/2015 17:38

That's the problem we had, LL selling and ridiculous agency fees. it was costing us between £450 and £600 just for agency fees each time

x2boys · 28/10/2015 17:40

there are strawberry often you will see houses that were up for bidding several months ago readvertised as no one wanted them the first time, i was 16/36 bidding for my house so presumably 15 people turned it down before me its a nice two bed with a nice garden ok area.

Original poster

canidothis15 · 28/10/2015 17:41

Yes, it's similar here, and I have to pay a further deposit for pets which means that moving fees are running into thousands - frustrating if they then decide to sell after six months!

It does state on the council's website that demand is very high for council properties, so I think the best thing I can do is give them a call tomorrow and see what the situation actually is; I do know two people who have urged me to do this and they got houses very promptly but of course, they didn't have a property, so it's hard to say!

OP posts:

formerbabe · 28/10/2015 17:41

Why can't you sell the property you own and buy yourself somewhere to live?

Or is that a really old fashioned idea?

formerbabe · 28/10/2015 17:43

I would obviously pay full market rent

Even without housing benefit, I thought council rents were far from market rate and very heavily subsidised?

x2boys · 28/10/2015 17:43

of course people are employed in the northwest how do you think we live on fresh air?

Original poster

canidothis15 · 28/10/2015 17:44

I have explained this former - it's because this would involve the people living in it being put in a difficult situation, which I don't really want to do to them.

Ideally, I would like it if they could stay in my house for three/four years at least - preferably longer, as during this time I hope to save for a deposit to enable me to buy a new property.

As I have said, I'm just trying to think of a solution that best suits everybody - including my cats! :)

OP posts:

Original poster

canidothis15 · 28/10/2015 17:45

I don't know formerbabe - I suspect this is something I'd have to ask, as I'm afraid I honestly don't know.

x - you're probably quite close to me! :)

OP posts:

BrandNewAndImproved · 28/10/2015 17:45

Council houses are NOT subsidised. They turn a profit but put it back in.

StrawberryTeaLeaf · 28/10/2015 17:47

It's crazy that housing, jobs and infrastructure can't be spread around more evenly.

StrawberryTeaLeaf · 28/10/2015 17:47

I'm glad you got a nice family home.

x2boys · 28/10/2015 17:48

isnt it strawberry ? and quite possibly op!

StrawberryTeaLeaf · 28/10/2015 17:50

Even without housing benefit, I thought council rents were far from market rate and very heavily subsidised?

Not necessarily, not now.

New social tenancies can be 'social', 'affordable' or 'market' if I've understood correctly and can be 'secure' (ongoing) or fixed term. Depending on specific social LL, tenant etc etc

TalkinPease · 28/10/2015 17:50

It's crazy that housing, jobs and infrastructure can't be spread around more evenly.
Hear hear, but that is the way of the world, always has been, always will be.

StrawberryTeaLeaf · 28/10/2015 17:51

(I was at a housing conference recently - can you tell )

Buxtonstill · 28/10/2015 17:52

Don't use the justification of not wanting to move the family who currently live in your property.
Do you intend informing the council that you own property?

formerbabe · 28/10/2015 17:54

Council houses are NOT subsidised. They turn a profit but put it back in.

I'm pretty sure council properties are not let out at market rate?

I'm amazed you can put yourself on the council list if you own somewhere? Even more amazed that so many on here think that's fine.

So does this mean that theoretically you could have private landlords living in council property? Wtaf! No wonder there's a housing crisis.

Original poster

canidothis15 · 28/10/2015 17:54

Of course

OP posts:

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